PKIDs’ Updates

14092006

Autumn always brings busy times to the office. We’re continuing to update the Pediatric Hepatitis Report. We’d hoped to have it all done by last spring, but it didn’t happen, although quite a bit has been updated. We think it will all get done before the holidays.

As part of the Teen Vaccine Initiative, we’re working with a production company to make five videos for 18-24 year olds. They’re funny and serve as reminders that vaccines are out there for this age group. When the time is close for the unveiling of the masterpieces, we’ll release the URL and do a big media campaign.

PKIDs has been on the board of directors of the National Viral Hepatitis Roundtable since that organization’s inception. I took over for another PKIDs parent who needed to resign for medical reasons and am now on the executive committee as vice-chair. Molli Conti from the Hepatitis B Foundation is the chairperson and she, along with Dick Conlon, are keeping us moving. (http://www.nvhr.org/) At some point, and probably soon, we’ll need to get off the board and make room for others. For now we’re hanging in to represent the kids. If you represent a pediatric organization, you might consider joining NVHR and running for the board during the next elections.

I’m on the National Vaccine Advisory Committee, which is part of NVPO (National Vaccine Program Office), which is part of the U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services. I’m the consumer rep on the committee. They try to fit in one regular person to give the consumer’s viewpoint to goings-on?so for the next four years, that’s me. If you have any vaccine-related opinions you’d like me to share or questions you’d like answered, let me know and I’ll pass them along.

We are fine-tuning an Infectious Disease Workshop that we’re going to market to the business community.

We’re doing all sorts of virtual community work on our website. Franji can better explain everything we’re doing and I’m sure she’ll be writing a blog entry to cover all that.

Other than the usual work of helping parents who call in and keeping up-to-date on the various issues that matter to the families and writing grant proposals and finding resources for folks and so on, I think I’ve hit on the highlights. Feel free to call the office if you want to chat (877-557-5437) or email pkids@pkids.org.

Disclaimer

The information on PKIDs' Blog is for educational purposes only and should not be considered to be medical advice. It is not meant to replace the advice of the physician who cares for you or your child. All medical advice and information should be considered to be incomplete without a physical exam, which is not possible without a visit to your doctor.